#LET MARIANNE WEAR RED 2K19!!!!

[myselfinserts]

“Don’t call her ‘doll face’. Moron.”

The students were all making their way into the stadium as Marianne finished the set up for the first aid tent. The crowd was already screaming in excitement. The air was filled with carnival food smells and the taste of salt. 

Marianne knew the reason for the latter. She’d gotten used to it since childhood. 

A lot had changed since childhood. She’d loved. She’d lost. And she learned to treat herself with some level of self-respect. It felt nice being able to look at herself in the mirror and enjoy wearing her favorite color. Without hearing those degrading comments from others around her about it. 

She was happier now.

“Hey doll face! Remember me?”

Oh god no. Please no. 

“Yoo-hoo! Mither! Over here!”

Marianne bit back a groan and turned around, putting on her best smile. “Barrett Ballard. How nice to see you again.”

“Oh, it’s been so long, doll face.” A man with long greying hair and dull blue eyes skipped over to her, his baggy suit making his lanky form even more elongated with every movement. “How have you been? I haven’t heard from you since-” 

Marianne braced herself. She knew it was coming. She was wearing a red blouse with black pair of jeans and her doctor’s coat. She looked professional. She looked mature and confident. 

“What on earth are you doing wearing that?”

She felt like a sitting duck. 

                                                           -

“Mommy, look! Look!”

It was a lovely summer evening. Marianne was wearing her favorite red dress as they walked down the beach. She’d gotten a cut on her foot from one of the rocks near the good shell gathering spot. But before she could truly cry over it, a light wind surrounded her. Salty water covered her body and seeped into the wound. It healed up quickly, clearing away the blood from the injury. It left no scar. 

Murdina smiled, lifting her up onto her shoulders as the others caught up to them. “Looks like your quirk manifested! I’m so glad!”

Dafyd smiled, gently pushing up his read headband as wee Regi kept tugging it down. “What happened?”

“I got a boo boo!” Marianne giggled, raising her foot up to show where it had once been. “And I healed it! I got covered in water and the owie disappeared!”

Regi’s eyes went wide and he gasped. “Boo boo?” His tiny hands reached out and he grabbed hold of Marianne’s foot, giving the heel a light kiss. “Boo boo gone!”

Murdina and Dafyd chuckled, giving Regi kisses on the cheek and telling him good job. Marianne couldn’t help smiling. Reginald had been a relatively quiet baby. Barely made eye contact with anyone. She was so scared at some points that maybe he didn’t like her. 

But those fears were gone now. 

“Thank you, Regi,” she said. “I feel much better now.”

Regi smiled brightly. “Boo boo gone!”

“Yep! Boo boo gone!”

Regi nodded, looking between all of them. His smile slowly began to leave. “Oh...”

“What’s wrong.”

“Want red.” He pointed to Dafyd’s headband, then to Murdina’s top and Marianne’s dress. “Where my red?”

Marianne looked over her brother, feeling her heart break as she saw not a single speck of the color on his little sailor outfit. She looked at her dress and reached for the hem of the skirt, taking off one of the ribbons that were tied through the holes. She motioned for her mother to move her closer and she leaned over, gently tying back Regi’s laughably long hair. 

“There,” she said. “Now we all got red.”

Regi giggled and started bouncing in his father’s arms excitedly. “Got red! Got red!”

“That you do,” Dafyd chuckled. “It looks good on you both.”

Marianne couldn’t agree more.

                                                          -

“Marianne, we’ve been over this. Red isn’t a good color on you.”

Marianne let out a sigh, hanging up the beautiful party dress she’d set her sights on. It was a simple 50′s style rockabilly swing dress, with a fitted corset top and it flared out in the skirt. It was red, with adorable polka dot trimmings. It looked amazing. 

She wanted that dress so badly. 

But Mary was her roomie, and the designated fashion expert. Marianne had barely known the difference between different button ups before letting her come along clothes shopping. Her wardrobe was a little darker than she liked, but it looked nice and that was what was important right now. Especially for such an important event. 

As per usual, Lucienne’s always held socials in between trainings and lessons and the like. It was a chance to form connections and build a network for hero duties. And as such, they were expected to dress nicely. 

‘Nicely’ in Mary’s eyes meant Marianne would be in another navy blue dress that didn’t even make it to her knees, while she herself would wear whatever dress she thought looked best that week. 

This week, it meant a red dress that would make her look like the only girl in the whole room. 

Not just a red dress. THE red dress. The one she wanted so desperately. 

“Why can’t we both wear red tonight?” Marianne asked. “It’s not like there’s a law saying I shouldn’t wear it.”

“It makes you look pasty and washed out,” Mary grumbled. “Now go try on this one. It’s a beautiful blue. It’ll look amazing, trust me.”

“But-”

“Go on!”

Marianne rolled her eyes and went into the changing room. She closed her eyes, counted to ten, and braced herself for the image of Mary in her dress. 

Maybe I can sneak myself one later. Just to wear in private. No, Mary would take it...dammit...

With a sigh of regret, she put on the dress and left the dressing room, feeling a sharp pain in her chest as she saw Mary spinning around in the polka dots. Marianne decided to let it go.

It looks more amazing on her.

                                                                -

“Finally! I’ve been trying to get in to see you for weeks.”

“Well, I finally had the time.” Barrett said. “Now, let’s get to work, shall we? Have a seat.”

Marianne sat at the desk, reaching into her bag and pulling out the latest designs for her new hero costume. “So I had some ideas-”

Barrett raised his hand, shaking his head disapprovingly. “Now now, Marianne. You and I have been over this. You have a quirk with particular needs. And a particular style that comes with it.”

“But Mr. Ballard, please,” she insisted. “I promise, this is a good design. See, I was thinking we could go with something more streamlined. Have it look a bit more sinister yet soothing? And maybe in red?”

“But red makes you look so pale, darling.” He reached over and took her notebook, tossing it aside. “Now, if you’ll just wait a moment, my secretary will be here soon and will have you in the new suit any-Ah! Here it is!”

Before Marianne had a chance to recover she was hoisted from her seat and spun around midair. She could barely register what was happening. She felt her clothes vanishing, replaced with a soft, if slightly itchy fabric. She landed on her feet and was shoved in front of a mirror. 

The hero suit had a new utility belt, with matching boots and a strap that went over her shoulders to carry more pouches. Unlike her last one, this was completely sleeveless, with a zipper down the front. The skirt that would attach to the belt had now become one with the top, and the colors were darker. A deep navy blue with a mauve outline. And of course, the golden circlet came with it. 

It was almost too simple. Too much like her old outfit. 

She hated it. 

She was hoping for red. 

“Well?” Barrett asked expectantly. “What do you think?”

“It’s...wonderful,” she said. “It’s just taking me a minute to adjust.”

“Well then, how about I leave you alone for a bit to get acquainted, eh doll face?”

Marianne watched him and the secretary go, waiting until the door was shut and she was certain that he was gone before hurrying over to her notebook, picking it up and hugging it tightly. The page it was open to was to a full body suit, a dark red with white lines that gave her an almost fallen angel aesthetic. It had boots that went to the knee and not the ankle, where they wouldn’t pinch at her nerves as badly. This also came with gloves, and was made with material better suited for the ocean. Almost like a wetsuit of sorts. And instead of a circlet, she’d get a pair of goggles that could double as a crown. 

It was probably her best design yet.

And she’d never get to use it. 

                                                          -

She couldn’t stop staring at it. 

Her first birthday with Myko. She’d expected just about everything he threw at her. A nice dinner, a night on the town, karaoke, the hotel. Typical Mykolas.

She didn’t expect this red dress. 

“What do you think?” he asked. “I hope you don’t mind but I asked your buddies L and Phoenix for help? They said you’d look really nice in this and- Marianne?”

She put it back in the box, biting her tongue as she held back the tears. This was a joke. A cruel, sick joke. It had to be. She couldn’t be receiving this dress. This lovely, red lace dress with a little black belt. She just couldn’t. It was so beautiful. Too beautiful. 

“Marianne, hey,” Myko said softly, pulling her into his arms. “What’s wrong? Did I get the wrong one? Is this not the kind you like? Or did I get the wrong size-?”

“Why?” she whispered. “Why red?”

He looked at her, perplexed. “You said it was your favorite color. And it’s a lovely shade. I made sure it would look nice with your favorite necklace-”

He can’t be this dense. “Red makes me look washed out...”

“Oh, now that’s bullshit.” He gently pulled her to her feet, walking her to the mirror and holding the dress up in front of her. “Look at this. Look how your hair pairs well with the belt. How the way the sleeves will meet your elbows. The color makes the purple of your eyes pop so beautifully.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Marianne, you were born to wear red.”

The tears broke at the words. Marianne sank to her knees, hugging the dress as close as she could. Every comment about her and the color swirled in her mind, blocking out every other sound in the world. She could feel Myko drop down and pull her close, holding her as tightly as he could while she wept. 

It’d been so long since she was told she looked good in red. 

“Thank you,” she finally managed. “I love it. I love you.”

Myko smiled, gently drying the tears away. “I love you too.”

                                                                   -

“Clem, sweetheart. Please don’t tug on Mr. Kan’s hair.”

“It’s alright. He ain’t hurting none. You focus on getting ready.”

Marianne smiled softly, watching her son tug tightly on the tufts of white hair. She was glad the two seemed to get along. It was her first day back at work, and she needed all the help she could get. It was lonely without Mykolas, but Sekijiro was a very comforting presence in the dorms. She knew she could count on him when L and the others were away.

Quickly, she threw on a pair of black capri pants and a white button up. It wasn’t much, but it would be enough. She just had to get through today.

Today was her first solo outing as the school nurse. She could handle it. Marianne had been through so much already. There was no way in hell anything could throw her off.

No, she thought. There is one way. 

“How do I look?” she asked. 

Kan looked at her, making sure to keep his hands on the wiggly crawly baby trying to sit on his head. “You look good.”

“Just good?”

He shrugged. “I mean...You could do with some color.” He stood, carefully taking Clement and holding him close to his chest as he hurried to the closet. “Maybe try something nice? Lull the students into a false sense of security. Make them think you won’t beat them over the head with health lessons.” Kan smiled and pulled out a dress. It was one of those simple skater dresses. The kind that paired well with a pair of flats and a set of leggings. “Like this.”

Marianne felt her ears burn as she took it from his hands, smiling sweetly. “I’ll give it a try...If you think it’ll look good.”

“It’ll look lovely.” He leaned down slightly, kissing her on the cheek. “You look good in red. Now hurry up and get going. You don’t want to be late.” He looked at Clem, giving him a light boop on the nose to make him giggle. “We’ll meet you for lunch. Promise.”

“Okay.” She quickly made the change before passing him the baby bag, kissing them both on the cheek. “I’ll see you later then. Love you.”

“Love you too,” Kan said.

Marianne smiled and hurried out the door. It wasn’t until she got to her office she realized.

What the hell did we do? What the hell did I just say?!

They kissed each other on the cheek.

They said ‘I love you’. 

Oh god, she thought. It really got that serious. 

Somehow, she found she didn’t mind. 

                                                             -

“It’s my favorite shirt, Ballard. Got a problem?”

Marianne watched him stammer in a vain attempt to find his words. She expected this. Barrett hadn’t been the same since she quit using him as her support designer. Almost too anxious to be healthy. But it was a choice she knew that, presented with the chance, she’d make the same decision. 

“I mean,” he stumbled. “You look a little pale, doll face.”

“Don’t call her ‘doll face’. Moron.”

Barrett froze, slowly turning around to come face to face with Vlad King, who was glaring at him harshly from behind his visor. Marianne tried hard to hold back a laugh. There had only been one other person who could instill that kind of fear into that pathetic little man. 

“C-can I help you?” Barrett asked. 

“Yes,” Vlad growled. “You can get the fuck out of here before I call security.”

Barrett nodded rapidly. “I’ll be gone soon, promise. I just wanted to ask Mither if she’d be willing to come back to Elspie to help me with-”

She didn’t even let him finish. “No way.”

Both men looked at her in surprise. “No?”

“No,” Marianne repeated. “I have work here. A loving husband here. Another husband in the hospital. Two kids of my own plus an ultra heckton more. Even if I weren’t blacklisted to hell and back in the U.K circuit I wouldn’t come back.” She turned Barrett around and started pushing him out of the tent. “Now get lost before I ask Lady Lazarus to escort you to Mr. Allard.

Barret’s eyes went wide and white. “Allard? H-he’s here?”

“Yep. Now scram.”

With a high pitched squeak, the support designer bolted out of there. Vlad watched him go, a bemused smirk on his face. 

“Who knew such a guy could move that fast?”

“I did.” She walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist as tightly as she could. “I’m sorry about earlier. All the yelling and shit. I was out of line.”

Vlad smiled, turning around and lifting her up into his arms, giving her a kiss on the nose. “It’s alright. I was the idiot who listened to Nezu and did shit behind your back. Can you forgive me?”

“Only if we can watch Princess Bride and pop some popcorn tonight.”

“Deal.”

Marianne smiled, nuzzling him before letting herself be set down. Vlad slipped her one last kiss and headed back to the students. As he went, Marianne’s hands traced along the hem of her shirt as she focused on his costume. 

Red was still her favorite color.